Two realistic options for the Red Sox to extend qualifying offers to this offseason
One option the Red Sox will have this offseason is placing the qualifying offer on impending free agents, allowing them to receive draft pick compensation if the player declines and signs with another organization.
According to ESPN’s baseball insider Kiley McDaniel, the qualifying offer this offseason will be $21.05 million, up from $20.325 million last season. The figure was calculated by the average of the top 125 salaries in Major League Baseball.
Teams around the league will have five days after the World Series ends to extend the qualifying offer to their players.
The Red Sox have two realistic options to place the tag on in outfielder Tyler O’Neill and right-hander Nick Pivetta.
Boston has expressed interest in bringing back O’Neill; meanwhile, he has also shared his desire to return. Whether or not the Red Sox bring back O’Neill, they are in need of right-handed power for their lineup. O’Neill slugged 31 homers in 113 games this past season, and they will need additional right-handed power in addition to his bat.
"It was an awesome year getting to experience Boston," O'Neill said of his first year in Boston to reporters. "Calling Fenway my home ballpark for a season. Getting to know my teammates. I wouldn't want to change it for anything. I think we accomplished a lot of good things this season, both in good stretches and bad stretches. We did it together.
"They got something good cooking over here in the Boston organization. We'll see what happens."
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow acknowledged to the media that he needs to balance out the lineup, and bringing back O’Neill would be a good start.
“Whether it’s Tyler or someone else, replacing that type of production in the middle of the lineup is going to be a priority,” Breslow said to MassLive.com. “We’ll obviously have to see how this process plays out. But I anticipate we’ll be in communication. He’s earned the right to get to free agency. But I think the right-handed power hitter that can pop 30 and change a game with one swing is definitely a pretty desirable asset here.
“Obviously our lineup is pretty imbalanced in terms of being left-handed heavy,” Breslow said. “Figuring out how to balance that out, take advantage of the short left field wall. We saw the effect of a guy like Tyler and 30-plus home runs as a right-handed power hitter in the middle of the lineup.”
Following his breakout year power wise, O’Neill hit .241, knocked in 61 RBI, and posted an .847 OPS; he could be in line for a big payday as a free agent. According to Spotrac, O’Neill is projected to receive a five-year, $90 million deal.
Boston will do their due diligence looking around the league and in free agency in adding more right-handed power. O’Neill’s power aligns with what their lineup needs; however, injuries hampered him on and off all season, and he’s an incredibly streaky hitter. Whether the Red Sox want to give him five years remains to be seen.
Pivetta is the least likely of the two to receive the qualifying offer from the Red Sox. He will have a market in free agency, and Boston would be better served adding a front-of-the line pitcher in the offseason than bringing back a mid-rotation arm.
The righty has been with the Red Sox the last four seasons after he was acquired by former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom during the COVID-shortened 2020 season with Connor Seabold for Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman.
Pivetta has been very reliable in terms of health but inconsistent at times during this Sox’ tenure.
This past year, he’s flirted with no-hitters; he’s also struggled to escape the fourth inning (eight times), while also hurling five innings or more in his last 10 of his 13 starts, including six innings or more in seven outings. Alluding to his inconsistencies at times while on the mound.
Boston should be laser focused on adding starting pitching, particularly someone who can pitch at the top of the rotation.
“I think every team needs someone to front the rotation. I think the question is, 'What does that look like? Where does the availability come from? Do we have guys that can take another meaningful step forward and pitch at the front of the rotation?'” Craig Breslow said this week on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show." “There were stretches this season where any number of guys pitched like a legitimate front-of-the-rotation starter.”
Boston could opt to not extend the qualifying offer to both players and let them both test the free agent market. The Red Sox are in a position this offseason where they can dangle their top prospects in trades for the potential to land pitching to add around their existing core.
Breslow will have his work cut out for him in his second offseason leading the Red Sox front office.
